HĀ ORA

We are learning to identify things that affect personal, social, and emotional growth and develop skills to manage changes.

All the changes to our learning can make it hard to focus.

Hā ora means a breath of life. These lessons are intended to your wellbeing as you come back into your school community after a time of challenge. Hā ora also describes having an essence full of vitality and creative energy that is central to this mahi.

Mindfulness

Start the day with a mindfulness session using our breath to acknowledge the world around us as represented by the Atua (Gods). On the out-breath, embody the qualities or movements of the Atua you are acknowledging .

Task One:

Read the words and discuss their meaning.

Follow along with the video.

1. Hā ki roto (in breath) Hā ki waho (out breath) x 3

2. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Ranginui (Sky Father above)

3. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Papa tūā nuku (Earth Mother below)

4. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Tangaroa (Sea, coming in & going out)

5. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Tānemahuta (Forest, insects, birds)

6. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Tāwhirimatea (Winds)

7. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Rūaumoko (Earthquakes & eruptions)

8. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a Tū-matauenga (War, confl ict, people)

9. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki runga (above)

10. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki raro (below)

11. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki waho (outward)

12. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki roto (inwardly to your beautiful self)

13. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki ngā tupuna (the ancestors)

14. Hā ki roto Hā ki waho: Mihi ki a tātou katoa (to everyone here)

Walking with the Birds

Task Two:

Walk in a natural environment, for example: a park, beach reserve, along a river or creek or lake, and so on.

Walk bare-foot a number of times clockwise and a number of times anti-clockwise.

This is an exercise in Presence ( = the ability to be sensory alive in the moment)

Find different walking surfaces that have a variety of textures such as grass, wood, concrete, sand.

When walking, it is important to have all senses available for stimulation, therefore: no headphones, gloves, beanies that cover ears, and so on. Walk at a normal pace (not too fast, not too slow), and during the walking pay attention to all the sensations (sights, sounds, smells, touch, taste, intuition) that happen all around you (in front, behind, above, below, to your right, to your left, outside your body, as well as inside.

Afterwards, reflect on the experience by making an oil pastel drawing and sharing some of the things you noticed.

Week 5 Stop Here

Week 6 -Six Directions

Task One:

Watch the video.

If you are doing this at home, you be the teacher, call out the directions and follow them.

Students at school will do this with the teacher.

The Instructions

Start with all children facing the teacher. Teacher calls out: “ki te taha matau”. The children move as far to the right as possible (whilst their left foot stays anchored on the spot), all children say the direction in a strong voice, as they are moving. Once they reach the end of their physical ability going to the right, they imagine going even further, beyond the classroom or location where they do this exercise, beyond their neighbourhood, beyond their town or city, beyond their country, and so on

Then there comes a moment when they need to return. The starting position and the return position in between each direction is a position in which to practice “the state of nothingness”. No longer returning from anywhere, not already going to the next direction, but just dwelling (being) in the “here and now”.

After a while, the teacher will call out the next direction: “ki te taha maui”. The children follow this direction as they speak the direction they are going to in a strong voice. At the end of their physical ability, they imagine going further. And so on: moving through all 6 directions, each time returning to the state of nothingness in between.

Tāwhirimatea: Atua of the Winds

Task Two:

Make a slideshow around the different qualities and manifestations of the wind.

For example: gentle breeze (zephyr); hurricane; tornado; howling wind; crazy wind; cleansing winds; wind blasts; whispering wind; raging wind; crying wind; wind still.

Task Three:

Newspaper Symphony

Take a piece of newspaper (or large piece of paper)

Use the piece of paper to create 4 or 5 different sounds. How many sounds can you create?

Use the pictures to create wind sounds. Go up the pictures and back down again.

Week 6 Stop Here

Week 7 Harekeke Observational Drawing

Communication is not just through reading and writing. We communicate our ideas visual images.

We are learning to express ideas through visual images.

Task One

Discuss the shape of the leaves and create a brainstorm of words to describe them. e.g. are they angular, curved, straight.

The outer leaves represent the oldest leaves, like parents and elders, protecting the new younger leaves, like children, in the centre of the plant.

This is why the harakeke in Te Reo, is a symbol of whanau

Task Two

Make an observational drawing of the plant, paying close attention to all the details. The aim is to make this drawing scientific with as much detail as possible.

Think about these things when making it:

• Draw attention to things like the layered fans, holes or spots on the leaves, and things like frayed ends.

• Are there any spider webs tucked away in the plant?

• Do you notice any other bugs or creatures living in this plant?

• If you watch for a while do you see any birds visiting the plant?

• What birds do you think might visit this plant?

Task Three:

Read these whakataukī.

Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui - Be strong, be bold, persevere

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa - Let use keep close, not far apart

Aroha mai, Aroha atu - Love towards us, love going out from us

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini - My strength is not mine alone (individual) but comes from many (the collective)

Ahakoa te iti te kākano, he pounamu kātahi ka tipu ake - Although the seed is small it is treasure and will grow

Choose one to inspire you to write a poem. Here is an example:

Flax Haiku

Flax leaves, green and straight

Folding, waving, stretching, strong

Weaving whānau love

Week 7 Stop Here

Harekeke Music and Movement Week 8

Communication is not just through reading and speaking. We communicate our ideas using our whole bodies.

We are learning to express ideas through music and movement.

Task One:

View the way harakeke moves in the wind. Try to see it moving in a gentle breeze through to a wild gusty wind. How does it look when it is still and wet?

Watch the video then create some movements with your body to show how the flax moves.

Find some music to put with it.

Task Two:

Go back to the whakataukī from last week choose one. Make your body into a frozen statue/shape that represents that whakataukī .

Task Three:

Listen to the Harakeke song several times.

Listen to the rhythm. Drum along to the song.

Make up some drum beats to go with it.

Optional: If you can play an instrument, you might like to play the song.

Find out the meaning of the words in the song.

Which words really stands out to you and shows you what the song is about?

Make up some actions to go with the song.

Post them on Seesaw.

I can't wait to see your creativity!

Week 8 Stop Here

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